Building a Future
by truxartus
Summary: Chloe and Clark build a relationship together while building their adult lives


Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim any rights to Smallville or its characters therein. I'm just a lowly University student writing this for fun.  
  
Building a Future  
  
Chloe sighed as she finished proofing another layout of the Metropolis University's paper, The Herald. It had been pretty busy lately, just having started her third year of journalism studies, making assistant editor at the school paper, working on the first issue of the Herald (which is why she's still hard at work tonight, even though it's after midnight at least) as well as having a few good stories in the Daily Planet, under her pseudonym "Lois Lane". All in all, at least from the outside, things seemed to be going pretty well. However, things are often seldom what they seem.  
  
Deciding that now would be a good time for a quick coffee break, Chloe turned to face her editor, Chris.  
  
"Hey Chris, I just proofed pages 6 to 15. I'm going to go get some coffee, so that I can finish the last 10 pages. Want anything?"  
  
"No thanks. I took the liberty of getting myself a cup of java on my last bathroom break."  
  
Chris then turned back to the computer monitor, and went back to work. Chloe got up, stretched, and made her way to the vending machines near the washrooms. Although she'd rather go and get a mocha latte with a shot of cappuccino, a glance at her watch showing the time at almost 2:30 in the morning, there wasn't any decent coffee shops open anywhere near the paper's location on campus. So vending machine coffee it was for Chloe Sullivan.  
  
Along the way, she thought upon the path her life had taken. Although she had originally started her journalism degree at NYU, she had to transfer to Met U last year after her father had been diagnosed with cancer. She wanted to be back with her father, to help him through the chemo, and help him with things around the house Last year had been hard, but she managed to pass all her courses with a decent average, and still managed to put in time at the Herald to work on a few pieces. It had been trying on her, and lord knows there were a few times where she wanted to give up, but she pushed herself both around home and at school and did pretty well.  
  
Things this year were looking good. Her father was finished chemo and the doctors were optimistic, since so far there seemed to be no sign of the cancer. And she was proud of herself that within a year of joining the Herald she was named Assistant Editor, and if she played her cards right, she may even make full Editor next year. All in all, Chloe had loads of reasons to be happy, but surprisingly she wasn't.  
  
Chloe was lonely. Sure she had friends around school, but what she wanted was someone to share the more private things in her life with. And it wasn't as if there weren't guys who were asking her out, but her heart belonged only to one man, the man who she couldn't stop thinking of, and who for the past two years has been travelling the world. Clark Kent. She wanted him with her now, and for the rest of her life. And not only was she lonely, she was anxious to see him again. For a couple of weeks ago, he e- mailed her saying he'd be attending Met U this fall, and that once he passed all the entrance exams and transferred his credits from the schools he had been attending during his travelling, he be joining her in her journalism program.  
  
It was funny really, come to think of it, how that even after not seeing him for almost 3 years, she still loved him, in fact she even thinks she loves him more now than she ever did. And now, she could be with her Clark again, once he's settled into his new apartment. She just wanted to go over there now and be with him, but she had her commitment to the paper, and she needed to get the first issue done.  
  
Chloe thought back to the summer before her last year of high school, when all of this had begun. She had been worried that with Lana going to art school in Paris, and Pete moving to Wichita with his mother, that her friendship to Clark would be lost as well, since lately it had been mostly Pete, and sometimes even Lana that seemed to try and keep the two of them together as friends. And now with them gone, her friendship with Clark was doomed to end, and she'd loose the love of her life.  
  
With the summer internship at the Daily Planet now unavailable to her due to Lionel Luthor's influence, she had managed to get herself an internship with the Smallville Ledger, and although it wasn't the Daily Planet, the editor on staff took her pretty seriously and gave her some good, if not too interesting, work. Also, it kept her pretty busy, keeping her mind off of the topic of her dwindling friendship with Clark, of which she thought of a lot lately, since it had been a couple of weeks since she'd seen Clark at Pete and Lana's going away bash at the Talon.  
  
Later in the week, Chloe had decided that she could no longer put off going to see Clark and find out where exactly they stood, and had planned to go to the Kent farm at the end of the week to see Clark. To her surprise however, Clark had beat her to it, and was waiting outside the paper's office to talk to her. She remembered that day well.  
  
"Chloe! That's it for me today. You should get out there and enjoy the summer while you can! The work will still be there tomorrow."  
  
"Mr. Stephens, its okay really. I don't have any plans tonight, and I would really like to finish the article I'm working on. I'll lock up when I'm done, and I'll turn everything off. Please?"  
  
Mr. Adam Stephens, Chloe's boss and editor of the Smallville Ledger approached her desk, and shut off the monitor she was sitting in front of.  
  
"Chloe, there is no doubt in my mind that you'll make a fine reporter, but you know the old adage, 'All work and no play...' Seriously Chloe, you've worked really hard up till now and I'm very impressed with all you've done, but I want you to at least enjoy some of your summer vacation."  
  
Mr. Stephens smiled at Chloe, and began walking towards the exit.  
  
"Oh, and there's a young man in the reception area that's been waiting to talk to you for the past hour. A Mr. Kent I believe."  
  
At that news, Chloe became very nervous. Clark was here... oh man I know I said I'd talk to him later this week but this is too soon. But I can't keep him waiting...Crap! Even though she had resigned herself to talking to Clark, she sill hadn't built up the courage to discuss what was going on between them. However, knowing that he'd wait there till she left, she decided that there was little else she could do but go and talk to the farmboy, she began saving her work on the computer and collecting her things. Then, she and Mr. Stephens left the office to exit the building through the reception, where Clark had been waiting patiently, wearing one of his white t-shirts (which showed off his well muscled body that fuelled Chloe's more adult dreams), and a pair of jeans. Giving her a quiet hello, he exited the building with them. Mr Stephens the locked up the office, and turned the Chloe.  
  
"Goodnight Chloe. I hope you have a pleasant evening. Goodnight Mr. Kent."  
  
I don't know how pleasant this evening will be, considering what Clark and I will talk about. "Thanks Mr. Stephens, you too."  
  
Clark also wished Mr. Stephens a good night, and then turned to face Chloe.  
  
"Hey Chloe, sorry to just pop up on you like this, but I was kinda hoping that we could maybe get a bite to eat and talk?"  
  
"Sure Clark, I have some stuff I wanted to talk about with you too. Well, why don't we get some pizza? I take it you got a ride into town, so shall I give you a lift?"  
  
Clark nodded. Chloe motioned to the passenger side of her car, and then unlocked the car. Clark barely fit in the passenger side, even with the seat all the way back. God, what does Mrs. Kent feed that boy? Apparently farm work does a body good! Chloe chuckled at her thought, then proceeded to get in the driver's side and started the car.  
  
"Clark..." Chloe started, but then Clark interrupted.  
  
"Chloe, I know we've been through a lot these last couple of years, and that our friendship has been through some... tough spots... but I miss you Chloe. We used to be such good friends, and I could talk to you about anything, and we could hang out for hours and have fun. I miss that Chloe, and with Pete and Lana gone, I realized that I took a lot of the people around me for granted."  
  
"Gee Clark, I hope that you just not settling for having me as a friend, now that Pete and Lana are gone." Chloe knew as soon as she finished that she had been a little too hard in her tone, but she had to get that point across.  
  
Clark winced at her comment. He let out a long sigh, and then continued. "Chloe, I'm NOT settling. This isn't settling. Listen, a few weeks ago, I was sorting through some of my stuff, and I found some old pictures of us together. You know, the 3 musketeers, you, Pete and I. Seeing those pictures reminded me how close all 3 of us were, and then I thought about where we all stood today. Although Pete and I had our problems, we were still pretty close, but you and I had drifted apart these last few years, and we've done things that I am sure we regret now. And I want us to be the friends we once were. I'd at least want to salvage as much as I can while I still can, because I know if I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."  
  
Clark looked over to Chloe, who was in the middle of parking the car in the pizzeria's parking lot. Once that was finished, she shut off the engine, and slowly moved to face Clark. "Clark, I know we both said and did things that we regret, but they hurt, and its not like we can just up and forget them. I know I'm sorry for what I've done, and I'd do anything to take it back but I can't Clark, and neither can you. We can't just ignore what happened."  
  
"I know Chloe, but I'm not asking you to forget. What I am asking is for forgiveness for the stupid things I've done, and then I want to rebuild our friendship, because it is too important to loose."  
  
Chloe couldn't hold back the tears. "Oh Clark, I am so sorry for all the things I've done. I want us to be as close as we were again. I've missed you."  
  
Clark smiled that hundred-watt smile of his, and then reached over to take her hand into his. He squeezed her hand in support.  
  
"Well Chloe, since we are at the pizzeria, how about two good friends go split a pizza and catch up on things missed?"  
  
Since that day, they had been more or less inseparable. Almost everyday after work, Chloe would meet Clark and they'd hang out. They went over to Granville to catch the latest movies, or they hung out in Clark's loft, went out for dinner at most of the local restaurants or rented a movie and watched it either at her place or his, just like they had before. And things were great. The need to know about Clark's secret was still there, but Chloe knew that the only way she'd ever know would be to let Clark tell her when he was ready, and that seemed to satisfy her.  
  
Their last year of school had been great too. Clark helped her out with some of the harder classes that year, and she in return helped improve his skills as a reporter. She had found that Clark had a talent for it, and wanted to help him develop it. They continued to work together to solve the Wall of Weird mysteries, which were becoming less and less frequent with the government starting to clear up the meteor rocks around Smallville after it had been proven that they emitted radiation, which could be harmful to living things around them.  
  
The biggest surprise that year was when Clark asked her to prom. She had casually said that she wouldn't mind going with her best friend, but Clark had said that this wasn't a friend taking a friend thing, that he wanted her to be his date. She had been shocked at that, and for a moment she was speechless. But soon after, she found her voice and said that she'd love to go as his date.  
  
To say she was nervous was an understatement. She kept thinking back to the spring formal, and how he had left her to go to Lana. She knew she had forgiven him for that, but she was still afraid of having her hopes dashed again. But Clark had made sure that tonight would be a memory to cherish. He showed up in a limo, wearing a tux that showed off all his best features (which according to Chloe he had a lot of). He had bought a corsage that went beautifully with her dress. The evening would have been flawless had her father not given Clark a hard time, but he had relented when Clark had promised to bring back his daughter with a smile on her face and not to bring Chloe home too late.  
  
The prom had been heaven. Clark had done everything to make that evening special. Upon entering the limo, Clark had presented her with a bouquet of wildflowers wrapped in a purple ribbon, which he had said he had picked and prepared himself. They then drove to Metropolis (since the Prom committee had managed to book the ballroom of one of Metropolis' fancier hotels, the Metropole), where Clark took them to a fancy restaurant. The whole atmosphere was incredibly romantic, and Chloe was impressed at how much thought Clark had put into all this. After dinner was finished, they then went to the Metropole for an evening of dancing.  
  
There seemed to be a spell cast upon the evening, as time just seemed to slow down so that Chloe could savour the entire experience. Clark had been incredible, and had indeed made sure that this was a night to remember. The biggest surprise of all came near the end of the dance, when a request was made.  
  
"This song goes out to a certain special someone with this special message: 'It was most definitely worth the wait.'"  
  
The song that followed Chloe had recognized as her favorite. She looked to Clark to see that he had a shy smile on his face. Then it hit her, that phrase had come from the letter she had written him while he had been sick with that mysterious fever. How could he have known? He had said that he didn't remember her coming to see him.  
  
"How did you know? How did you find out?"  
  
"Lana told me. When I told her what I had planned for tonight, she told me about the letter you had written to me while I was sick. That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever written me. I never knew you still cared for me that much. I had been worried that after the spring formal, that you'd never have those feelings for me again."  
  
"Clark..."  
  
"Chloe, this last year was great, but I have a confession to make. For the last few months, I've been living a bit of a lie. You see, for the last few months, I pretended that all I wanted was to simply be your best friend, when in fact what I wanted was to be your best friend and more. And there has been something I've wanted to do for a long time."  
  
"What's that Clar..."  
  
Clark silenced her with his finger, and then replaced the finger on his lips with his. The kiss had been light at first, and a little one sided as Chloe was in shock at what was going on, but as soon as she recovered, the kiss became deeper, and more passionate. Chloe wished that this moment would never end, but all too soon it came to and end.  
  
For a few moments, neither spoke, as if afraid that by speaking the spell that had made this evening so magical would be broken, but eventually Chloe broke the silence.  
  
"Clark, I..."  
  
Once again, Clark silenced her gently with a finger upon her lips. "Shhhh. We have plenty of time to talk later. Let's just enjoy the rest of the evening."  
  
And enjoy the evening they did. The magic of the evening continued on till Chloe found herself on her front porch with Clark once again kissing her. But unlike the previous kiss, this one was short lived as Chloe's father interrupted.  
  
"It's a little later than I would have liked, Mr. Kent, but you've kept your promises."  
  
Clark's face went quite red, at the embarrassment of having been caught kissing Chloe by Mr. Sullivan. Chloe however, was giving her dad quite a glare.  
  
"Dad!"  
  
At that, Mr. Sullivan laughed and smiled at his daughter and her friend and from what he had seen, soon to be boyfriend.  
  
"Well Mr. Kent, its late, and I'm sure your parents are waiting to hear how well the evening went."  
  
Clark smiled at Mr Sullivan, and then turned to Chloe.  
  
"Thank you for coming with me tonight Chloe. And we'll talk about what happened tonight after graduation tomorrow."  
  
"Thank you for tonight Clark, this has been one of the most memorable nights in my life. I'll see you tomorrow after graduation then."  
  
Clark then kissed her on the cheek, and whispered into Chloe's ear the phrase she had been waiting to hear for years.  
  
"I love you, Chloe Sullivan."  
  
Graduation came and went, and Chloe was aching to see Clark again. She hadn't seen much of him at graduation, and after last night, she wanted to make sure what had happened wasn't a dream. She couldn't find him anywhere after the graduation ceremony. She knew he had been here, since both his parents had been here, but it seems they left soon after the ceremony was over. The only other place that she could think of him being at would be his loft. And so, she hopped into her car, and drove off to the Kent Farm.  
  
And there she found Clark, pacing frantically back and forth in his loft. He looked as if the world had suddenly turned against him, and Chloe could never really remember him being this upset. Quietly clearing her throat, she made her presence known. Clark jumped slightly, but then gave her a half smile upon seeing her.  
  
"Hey Clark, I looked for you after graduation. What happened? What's made you so upset? It isn't what happened last night?"  
  
Chloe was upset at the thought of Clark regretting what had happened. Everything yesterday had been so perfect, so wonderful, and she knew that her heart would not survive another disappointment. Clark, as if picking up on her thought, went over and then gave her a light kiss.  
  
"Chloe, I'll never regret last night. Last night was one of the greatest nights of my life, and I meant what I told you last night Chloe. I love you, and nothing can ever change that."  
  
Chloe felt the worry melt out of her after Clark had kissed her. But she was still worried about what could have upset Clark so much. Taking his hand, she led him to the old couch and sat him next to her.  
  
"Clark, what happened to make you this upset? Talk to me, I've never seen you this upset before. You look like someone who's been backed into a corner."  
  
Clark let out a long sigh. Within his clear blue eyes, Chloe could see the pain that he was feeling. She took his hand in hers, and with the other caressed his skin tenderly. She was always surprised that for a boy raised on a farm, his hands were callus-free and extremely soft and gentle. She felt a bit of a shiver as the absently thought what those hands would feel like caressing her skin and her other more...sensitive areas. However, she quickly put those thoughts aside as now was not the time to be thinking about that. Clark, seeing that he now had Chloe's full attention, gave her another half smile, and then let out another deep sigh.  
  
"After the dance last night, I came back home. I was too excited to sleep, so I went to the loft to do some reading. After a bit, Lex stopped by. We had a lengthy discussion about a... sensitive topic, to which we had an argument. And then the truth came out, things I had never thought of Lex ever being capable of doing. He accused me of betraying him, of not being honest with him, that I was no better than his father. He told me he never wanted to see me again."  
  
Chloe knew from the look in Clark's eyes that he wasn't telling the whole truth, but trusted him enough to know that he'd tell her when he was ready. She took his face in her hand, and gave him a gentle loving kiss. But that look of pain was still in his eyes. And Chloe was starting to get a bad feeling.  
  
"That isn't everything though, is it Clark. There's more, and I'm not going to like it, whatever it is."  
  
Clark nodded.  
  
"Chloe, after Lex left, I got a message from my biological father. I found out quite a bit about where I came from, and what my biological parents wanted of me. I had to take in a lot of information, and after all was said, I was left confused and unsure about myself. I talked with my parents about it, and came to a decision I know you're not going to like. I didn't like it either, but I think I need to do it."  
  
Clark looked to her, hoping that she would understand. She knew this was hard on him, and although she did not want to hear what came next, she urged him to continue.  
  
"Chloe, nothing would make me happier than to stay with you this summer and explore this new relationship further, as well as go to NYU with you in the fall like we had planned. But after all that happened last night, I'm not sure who I really am anymore. I wish I could tell you all of the truth, but right now, I'm not too sure of what that truth is. I need to find out who Clark Kent is. So I decided to travel the world and study abroad for the next couple of years. I need to do some soul searching, and I think that a chance of scenery will help."  
  
"Clark, I understand why you need to do this, but why can't you do this here, or at NYU? I've finally have you Clark Kent, and now you're going to rush off somewhere alone. If you really have to do this, then I'll go with you. I'm not going to loose you now that I've finally gotten what I've dreamed about for so long."  
  
"Chloe, I know how much this hurts. I want to be with you too, so much. But I need to do this alone. When I think of you and I together, I see so many possibilities. I see a future with you Chloe, but if this relationship is going to last, I mean really last, it has to be based on trust. I have things I want to tell you, Chloe, things about me that need to be said, but before I can tell you, I need to sort out my life, and come to terms with who I am. I hope you understand."  
  
Chloe felt heartbroken. She knew that this was important to Clark, which made it important to her, but she also didn't want to let him go. She wanted him all to herself. She waited so long for this, and now that she's had a taste of it, she wanted more. But as Clark had said, if they wanted a future together, she would have to let him do this. She knew that if she did not let him go and find himself, then he would resent her. She could not stop the tears from coming, and soon she found herself crying into Clark's shoulder.  
  
"Chloe, I am so sorry for this. I never wanted to upset you. All I want is for you to be happy. I want to give you all of me, and I need to do this to be able to do that. I know this will be hard, but I hope that from this will come something special. I'm so sorry Chloe..."  
  
Chloe reaches up and silences him with a kiss. Not the light kisses that they had shared up till now, but a passionate kiss, throwing all her feelings and emotions for Clark into it. Clark responded back quickly, doing much of the same. It seemed like the kiss seemed to last an eternity, and she lost herself in it. Eventually, though, it came to an end, but they continued to hold each other, not wanting to let the other go.  
  
"Clark, if you need to do this, than I want you to do it. I may not like it, but it's important to you, so it's important to me. But you damn well better write me often, or else I'll hunt down your farmboy ass and give you a swift kick in the ass. I've waited this long to be with you, and I can wait a little more. But until you leave, let's make the most time of what we have."  
  
Until Clark left for Europe, they spent as much time together as they could. And for the brief time they were together, Chloe was happy. But soon it came time for Clark to go, and she found it hard to let go. But she managed to see him off, after receiving a gift from Clark. He had custom designed himself a locket to give to her. Upon it were elaborate etchings and inside was a lock of Clark's hair. When she had asked why, he had told her that if he couldn't be with her, than at least a piece of him would stay close to her heart. All she could do was shower him with kisses and tell him that she would wait for him for as long as it took. Soon after, Jonathan Kent called to Clark saying they had to leave, and so they had said their final goodbyes. As she watched Clark drive off, she silently vowed that until she was with him again, she would always wear the locket.  
  
With that thought, Chloe reached under her shirt and touched the locket. Soon she would be with him again. Soon, she found herself in front of the coffee machine, and was about to reach to her purse to get some change, when she realized that she had forgotten it in her car. Since the parking lot wasn't too far away, she decided she'd quickly run and get it, and then get back to work after getting her coffee. She made to her car no problem, as it wasn't too far from the building, and got her purse out. She was in the middle of locking the door, when she heard two sets of footsteps coming her way.  
  
"Hey, look at this nice piece of ass, Bill. I'll bet she's a screamer."  
  
Chloe turned to see who it was that said that. Just a few steps in front of her were two rather large guys, both leering at her, and from the smell of things, were probably drunk.  
  
"Yeah, Johnny, I'd take that bet. What I wouldn't give to get lost in those breasts."  
  
Chloe didn't like where this was going. She reached in to her purse to pull out the mace she always carried with her. She gave the two men an angered look, and with a smirk, told them off.  
  
"Listen boys, you're a little out of your league here. Why don't you two go home and sleep it off, before you embarrass yourselves."  
  
Soon after her comment, one of the guys lunged at her. She had the mace out faster than the guy could react and sprayed him in the eyes.  
  
"Ahhhh, my eyes!!! Bill get that bitch. She's gonna pay for this."  
  
Chloe was ready with the Mace to take care of the other guy. As long as she kept her distance, she'd be able to get him with the mace before he'd get close. What she hadn't counted on, however, was that there was a third guy behind her, and shortly before Bill lunged at her, she was grabbed from behind. Chloe managed to get a few cries of help out before he covered her mouth with his hand. She hoped that Chris had heard her and would call the cops or campus security, or that one of the campus security foot patrols would hear. Soon, she could feel hands, touching her breasts and reaching up her skirt. She struggled as best she could, but with two big guys pinning her down on her car, there wasn't much she could do. Soon, the hand got a hold of her underwear and tore it off. Chloe was terrified at what was about to happen, but she wouldn't go down without a fight. She squirmed as much as she could, bit down on the hand covering her mouth, and kicked at the other guy reaching under her skirt.  
  
"Ooooooh, this one's frisky. I like it when they're frisky."  
  
By now, the other guy had recovered a bit from the mace, and made his way over to the small group.  
  
"I'm gonna make you pay for that bitch." He reached for his belt buckle and started opening his jeans. "Now, let see how you like..."  
  
His sentenced never finished. A large blue blur swooped by, knocking him back 20 feet. Soon after his other two friends joined him on the ground and then the blur surrounded them. They were knocked around a bit by the blur, then after, Chloe could see the three of them wrapped in a steel pipe. Shortly after, the blur moved away and where the blur once was, there was a man.  
  
Chloe looked over to look at the new arrival. He was dressed in blue tights, with red boots, a long red cape with a yellow S within a diamond shaped pentagon, on his chest was a similar symbol, only the shape and the s were red and was filled in yellow and.... Was he wearing red underwear???  
  
The man was also built like a linebacker. The form fitting tights left little to the imagination. Her near rape nearly forgotten, Chloe just stared at the man. Soon, the reporter in her was working overtime, listing off questions. What was the inspiration for the colourful, ridiculous costume? How could he move so fast? How was he able to bend that pipe around them? Who was he? Getting up, and fixing up her general appearance, she was determined to get an answer out of this stranger. She approached him, and looked the stranger in the eye, getting ready to grill him, but the face staring back....  
  
"Clark?!?" 


End file.
